The sioeetbread, or pancreas, of the ox, goes along with
those of cows and calves to serve for the production of
entrees. This part has become absurdly dear in large towns.
Of steaks, three varieties are distinguished — one, prime,
called rumpsteak ; the second quality, called beefsteak,
coming from a lower part ; the third variety is a cross-cut
from the under-cut, or fillet ; it has not the quality of
rump or beef steak, but is more easily prepared in a tender
state.
The blood of the ox is not used for any preparation of
food.
Beef is best in winter, because it can be hung up as long
as may be necessary to make it perfectly tender. The
action of air upon beef, as upon all meat which has not
been cooked or frozen, is the same as that which it exercises
in the living body ; oxygen is absorbed, and carbonic acid
exhaled. Concurrently, a certain amount of lactic acid
forms in the meat, which during the subsequent cooking
dissolves or softens the tendinous, fibrous, or tough parts.
If the meat be intended for boiling, it may, while hung, be
rubbed over with a little salt from time to time. Kernels
so called, being lymphatic glands, should be cut out, and
the cavities salted ; joints also should be cut into and
salted. In warm weather, hung meat must be examined
and rubbed over its surface with a dry, clean cloth daily ;
by this practice the bacteria of excessive change are so
kept under and hindered in their growth and multiphcation
that they cannot affect the interior of the meat.
The ox furnishes a delicious fat from the proximity of
PRESERVATION OF BEEF
431
the kidney, sncl, which is indispensable for many most
important culinary operations. In America as well as
Europe much beef - fat is transformed into a material
closely resembling butter, and mainly sold under the
name of oleo-viargarine. Some Transatlantic traders have
lately invented the name of marroto for their tinned oleo-
margarine. In South America some beef is preserved by
drying, forming yarkee, corrupted into jerked beef ; great
quantities of beef are preserved by salting, called junk;
and by tinning, i.e., enclosing in tin boxes, and sterili^iing
by heat.
Ox-kidney is not as hard as the liver, and not so unsuited
for culinary preparation ; but even when well done it
requires a good mastication and a strong digestion ; for,
as it has a strong flavour, it requires a well-seasoned and
browned espagnole sauce for its adaptation, and these
concomitants are not within the range of toleration of
delicate stomachs.
The salting or pickling' of beef and the means by lohich it is
effected involve important considerations. Beef is salted
not only for preservation until it be wanted, but to im-
prove or adapt its taste, and make it more tender. It
may be rubbed with a mixture of salt, or a little saltpetre,
or nitrate of potash, the latter to insure its having a little
red colour. Cavities produced by the removal of bones or
glands, called kernels, should also be rubbed and have
some salt left in them, and be tied up again so as to keep
the sides together. The mixture of salts dissolved in water
may also be injected by means of a syringe with a pointed
piercing nozzle ; but this causes the meat to be unequal
in quality. The quantity of saltpetre or nitre to be used
with the salt should be about 4 per cent, of the latter, or,
in round numbers, 4 oz. to 6 lb.
Page 271
Presented as published in 1895. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
The sweetbread, or pancreas, of the ox, goes along with those of cows and calves to serve for the production of entrees. This part has become absurdly dear in large towns.
Of steaks, three varieties are distinguished — one, prime, called rumpsteak ; the second quality, called beefsteak, coming from a lower part ; the third variety is a cross-cut from the under-cut, or fillet ; it has not the quality of rump or beef steak, but is more easily prepared in a tender state.
The blood of the ox is not used for any preparation of food.
Beef is best in winter, because it can be hung up as long as may be necessary to make it perfectly tender. The action of air upon beef, as upon all meat which has not been cooked or frozen, is the same as that which it exercises in the living body ; oxygen is absorbed, and carbonic acid exhaled. Concurrently, a certain amount of lactic acid forms in the meat, which during the subsequent cooking dissolves or softens the tendinous, fibrous, or tough parts. If the meat be intended for boiling, it may, while hung, be rubbed over with a little salt from time to time. Kernels so called, being lymphatic glands, should be cut out, and the cavities salted ; joints also should be cut into and salted. In warm weather, hung meat must be examined and rubbed over its surface with a dry, clean cloth daily ; by this practice the bacteria of excessive change are so kept under and hindered in their growth and multiplication that they cannot affect the interior of the meat.
The ox furnishes a delicious fat from the proximity of
the kidney, suet, which is indispensable for many most important culinary operations. In America as well as Europe much beef - fat is transformed into a material closely resembling butter, and mainly sold under the name of oleo-viargarine. Some Transatlantic traders have lately invented the name of marroto for their tinned oleomargarine. In South America some beef is preserved by drying, forming yarkee, corrupted into jerked beef ; great quantities of beef are preserved by salting, called junk; and by tinning, i.e., enclosing in tin boxes, and sterilizing by heat.
Ox-kidney is not as hard as the liver, and not so unsuited for culinary preparation ; but even when well done it requires a good mastication and a strong digestion ; for, as it has a strong flavour, it requires a well-seasoned and browned espagnole sauce for its adaptation, and these concomitants are not within the range of toleration of delicate stomachs.
The salting or pickling of beef and the means by which it is effected involve important considerations. Beef is salted not only for preservation until it be wanted, but to improve or adapt its taste, and make it more tender. It may be rubbed with a mixture of salt, or a little saltpetre, or nitrate of potash, the latter to insure its having a little red colour. Cavities produced by the removal of bones or glands, called kernels, should also be rubbed and have some salt left in them, and be tied up again so as to keep the sides together. The mixture of salts dissolved in water may also be injected by means of a syringe with a pointed piercing nozzle ; but this causes the meat to be unequal in quality. The quantity of saltpetre or nitre to be used with the salt should be about 4 per cent, of the latter, or, in round numbers, 4 oz. to 6 lb.